First time out for Judith, and she loves it

GREEN PARTY candidate Judith Ashton has never before been involved in politics. But the British-born Thomastown woman has had her share of involvement in political life.

A row between the mother-of-two and near neighbour, Independent councillor Dixie Doyle, about a site she wanted to develop but he wanted to buy, became the focus of an RTÉ Prime Time special in 2001.

Cllr Doyle tried to persuade Ms Ashton to sell her site at Carrickmourne to him for £47,500 (€60,325) in 1999, but she refused. Ms Ashton claimed city and county manager Paddy Donnelly subsequently approached her and asked her would she reconsider.